An optical projection device for projecting a linear image is disclosed. Light emitted by an array of light emitting diodes arranged along an array axis is focused in at least a direction perpendicular to the array axis and diffused in a direction parallel to the array axis, thereby generating a linear image in which light from adjacent light emitting diodes is spatially overlapped. In some embodiments, the focusing and diffusion of the light is performed by a Fresnel lens and a lenticular lens, respectively. The optical projection device may be employed to virtually mark a surface, such as a floor in an industrial setting. High power light emitting diodes may be employed to generate a linear image having an illuminance of at least 4000 lux that is focused to a distance between 7.5 and 20 feet.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the optical projection device is absent of an image mask device between the linear array of light emitting diodes and the at least one optical component.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one optical component is configured to collect and transmit the light from the linear array of light emitting diodes such that at least 25% of an optical power emitted by the linear array of light emitting diodes is transmitted to form the linear image.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one light emitting diode is a high-power light emitting diode consuming an electrical power of at least 5 W.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a distance between a distal end of the optical projection device and the linear image formed on the surface is between 7.5 and 60 feet.
6. The method according to claim 1 wherein a distance between a distal end of the optical projection device and the linear image formed on the surface is between 7.5 and 40 feet.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein a distance between a distal end of the optical projection device and the linear image formed on the surface is between 7.5 and 22.5 feet and an illuminance of the linear image is at least 4000 lux.
8. The method according to claim 1 wherein a distance between a distal end of the optical projection device and the linear image formed on the surface is between 7.5 and 22.5 feet and an illuminance of the linear image is at least 10000 lux.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one optical component is configured such that a length of the linear image exceeds a length of an output aperture of said at least one optical component by at least a factor of 10.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one optical component comprises a lens configured to focus the light and an optical diffusing component configured to diffuse the light along the image axis.
11. The method according to claim 10 wherein a relative distance between the linear array of light emitting diodes and the lens is controllable for varying a focal distance of the linear image.
12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the lens is a spherical lens.
13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the lens is a cylindrical lens.
14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the optical diffusing component is a lenticular lens.
15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the lens is a Fresnel lens.
16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the optical diffusing component is a lenticular lens.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the Fresnel lens and the lenticular lens are formed as a monolithic optical component.
18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the Fresnel lens is positioned adjacent to the lenticular lens.
19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the housing is configured such that the Fresnel lens is movable relative to the linear array of light emitting diodes, the method further comprising moving the Fresnel lens relative to the linear array to focus the linear image on the surface.
20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the housing is configured such that an orientation of the lenticular lens is variable relative to the linear array of light emitting diodes without altering a position of the Fresnel lens, the method further comprising varying the orientation of the lenticular lens to align the image axis.
21. The method according to claim 16 wherein the housing is configured such that the lenticular lens is removable, the method further comprising removing the lenticular lens and replacing the lenticular lens with a different lenticular lens having a different respective fan angle.
22. The method according to claim 18 wherein the Fresnel lens directly contacts the lenticular lens.
23. The method according to claim 10 wherein the optical diffusing component is selected from the group consisting of a lenticular lens and a Fresnel lens.
24. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one optical component comprises a diffractive optical element.
25. The method according to claim 1 further comprising independently controlling each light emitting diode of the linear array of light emitting diodes to animate a display of the linear image.
26. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear array of light emitting diodes are powered to emit the light in response to a signal.
27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the signal is generated by a sensor.
28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the sensor is a motion sensor.
29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the motion sensor is configured to detect motion within a spatial region defined relative to the location where the linear image is formed.
30. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear array of light emitting diodes comprises at least two adjacent subarrays of light emitting diodes, each subarray including a first light emitting diode having a first colour and a second light emitting diode having a second colour, the method further comprising independently controlling the first light emitting diodes and the second light emitting diodes to control a colour of the linear image.
32. The method according to claim 31 wherein the first light emitted by the first linear array of light emitting diodes has a different colour than the second light emitted by the second linear array of light emitting diodes.
33. The method according to claim 31 further comprising controlling the first linear array of light emitting diodes and the second linear array of light emitting diodes such that only one of said first linear array of light emitting diodes and said second linear array of light emitting diodes is powered.
34. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear image is a first linear image, the method further comprising forming employing a second optical projection device to generate a second linear image on the surface such that the second linear image intersects the first linear image at an angle.
35. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear image is employed to demarcate a hazard zone.
36. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear image is employed to demarcate a walkway.
37. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear image is employed to demarcate a vehicle guide.
38. The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear image is employed to demarcate a reconfigurable workspace.
39. The method according to claim 1 wherein the surface is a floor.
40. The method according to claim 39 wherein the floor resides within an industrial facility.
41. The method according to claim 39 wherein the floor resides within a warehouse.
42. The method according to claim 39 wherein the floor resides within a manufacturing facility.
44. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein said optical projection device is absent of an image mask device between said linear array of light emitting diodes and said at least one optical component.
45. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein said at least one optical component is configured to collect and transmit the light from said linear array of light emitting diodes such that at least 25% of an optical power emitted by said linear array of light emitting diodes is transmitted to form said linear image.
46. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein at least one light emitting diode is a high-power light emitting diode configured to consume an electrical power of at least 5 W.
47. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein said at least one optical component is configured such that a distance between a distal end of said optical projection device and the linear image is between 7.5 and 22.5 feet.
48. The optical projection device according to claim 47 wherein said linear array of light emitting diodes and said at least one optical component are configured such that an illuminance of the linear image is at least 4000 lux.
49. The optical projection device according to claim 47 wherein said linear array of light emitting diodes and said at least one optical component are configured such that an illuminance of the linear image is at least 10000 lux.
50. The system according to claim 43 wherein said at least one optical component is configured such that a length of the linear image exceeds a length of an output aperture of said at least one optical component by at least a factor of 10.
51. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein said at least one optical component comprises a lens configured to focus the light and an optical diffusing component configured to diffuse the light along the image axis.
52. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein a relative distance between said linear array of light emitting diodes and said lens is controllable for varying a focal distance of said linear image.
53. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein said lens is a spherical lens.
54. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein said lens is a cylindrical lens.
55. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein said optical diffusing component is a lenticular lens.
56. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein said lens is a Fresnel lens.
57. The optical projection device according to claim 56 wherein said optical diffusing component is a lenticular lens.
58. The optical projection device according to claim 57 wherein said Fresnel lens and said lenticular lens are formed as a monolithic optical component.
59. The optical projection device according to claim 57 wherein said Fresnel lens is positioned adjacent to said lenticular lens.
60. The optical projection device according to claim 59 wherein said Fresnel lens directly contacts said lenticular lens.
61. The optical projection device according to claim 57 wherein said housing is configured such that said Fresnel lens is movable relative to said linear array of light emitting diodes to vary a focal position of the linear image.
62. The optical projection device according to claim 61 wherein said housing comprises a first cylindrical body portion and a second cylindrical body portion, said second cylindrical body portion supporting said Fresnel lens, wherein said second cylindrical body portion is extendable relative to said first cylindrical body portion.
63. The optical projection device according to claim 57 wherein said housing is configured such that an orientation of said lenticular lens is variable relative to said linear array of light emitting diodes.
64. The optical projection device according to claim 63 wherein said housing comprises a first cylindrical body portion and a second cylindrical body portion, said second cylindrical body portion supporting said lenticular lens, wherein said second cylindrical body portion is movable relative to said first cylindrical body portion to permit variation of an orientation of said lenticular lens relative to said linear array of light emitting diodes.
65. The optical projection device according to claim 63 wherein said housing is configured such that the orientation of said lenticular lens is variable relative to said linear array of light emitting diodes without altering a position of said Fresnel lens.
66. The optical projection device according to claim 57 wherein said housing is configured such that said lenticular lens is removable.
67. The optical projection device according to claim 51 wherein said optical diffusing component is selected from said group consisting of a lenticular lens and a Fresnel lens.
68. The optical projection device according to claim 43 wherein said at least one optical component comprises a diffractive optical element.
69. The optical projection device according to claim 43 further comprising control circuitry operably coupled to said linear array of light emitting diodes, wherein said control circuitry is configured to control operation of said linear array of light emitting diodes.
70. The optical projection device according to claim 69 wherein said control circuitry is configured to independently control each light emitting diode of said linear array of light emitting diodes to animate a display of the linear image.
71. The optical projection device according to claim 69 further comprising a sensor operably coupled to said control circuitry, wherein said control circuitry is configured to control operation of said linear array of light emitting diodes in response to a signal received from said sensor.
72. The optical projection device according to claim 71 wherein said sensor is a motion sensor.
73. The optical projection device according to claim 72 wherein said motion sensor is configured to detect motion within a spatial region defined relative to a location of the linear image.
74. The optical projection device according to claim 69 wherein said linear array of light emitting diodes comprises at least two adjacent subarrays of light emitting diodes, each subarray including a first light emitting diode having a first colour and a second light emitting diode having a second colour, wherein said control circuitry is configured to independently control said first light emitting diodes and said second light emitting diodes to control a colour of the linear image.
76. The optical projection device according to claim 75 wherein said control circuitry is configured such that the first light emitted by said first linear array of light emitting diodes has a different colour than the second light emitted by said second linear array of light emitting diodes.
77. The optical projection device according to claim 75 wherein said control circuitry is configured to control operation of said first linear array of light emitting diodes and said second linear array of light emitting diodes such that said first linear array of light emitting diodes can be independently controlled relative to said second linear array of light emitting diodes.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 29, 2020
October 11, 2022
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.